Who is Shri Mataji?
I remember a fine morning of August 1975, sitting in a suburban train between
Hurst Green and London. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was sitting in front of me. I
had spent some very intriguing and mind boggling moments in her house, the day
before, having felt levels of consciousness whose bliss it is impossible to
describe. I was fairly puzzled and asked quite simply: "Shri Mataji, who are
you?" She responded something like: "open your hands, close your eyes and ask
the question again", suggesting I should ask through my meditation. I did so.
After some time - I do not know how much time - I opend my eyes again. Shri
Mataji was smiling; she said "So?" I responded "Nothing Shri Mataji, just the
silence". She said "I am the silence". But for the rest of the day, I had the
feeling of being so light that I was litterally wondering whether my feet were
touching the ground; the quality of well being throughout this day of shopping
in London was again ecstatic. These states of higher awareness were registered
by my central nervous system and cannot be doubted. The perception is direct.

So, who is Shri Mataji? Caiaphas asked Jesus: "Are you the son of God?" When
Jesus replied affirmatively, the Pharisees sent him to Pontius Pilatus and to
the cross. Sometimes peole ask and do not want to know. Sometimes people ask and
do not want to believe. But if we ask because we are genuinely interested, and
honest, then, only in meditation can we get close to the subject, in a living
and experimental manner. All the rest is words, and words are just that:
ambivalent and unconvincing. The history of spirituality shows that spiritual
masters are fought by the mainstream establishment when they are alive and
worshipped when they are dead in order to take advantage of their legacy. My
advice to those who would like to know the truth about Shri Mataji's unique and
historical advent on this earth is to get access to self realisation through the
proven technique of sahaja yoga and go deeper in meditation where responses
unfold.

Is Sahaja Yoga a religion?
If religion means belief, no. If religion means connection with Reality,
the Self or the Divine, whatever your language, then yes.
Sahaja Yoga is not an organized religion, but it unites the essence of
all religions through direct perception of the subtle, divine reality.
Sahaja Yoga is moving spirituality from the realm of dogma into the realm
of individual experimentation. It is a practice, a direct experience
which is felt on our central nervous system and requires no act of faith
to substantiate it.

Anyone who has eyes can see that the sky is blue. Anyone who has their self
realization, which is achievable effortlessly through Sahaja Yoga, can feel
the cool breeze of the Kundalini (in the Vedic tradition) or Holy Spirit
(in the Christian tradition) above their head. Self Realization is a happening
that opens a new category of perception to better handle our daily life. Its
actualization is at the core of the teachings of Sahaja Yoga.
In a way we are given a new sense, connected with the cognitive potential
of the limbic area of the brain. We all have a powerful radar up there,
waiting to start functioning and improve our navigational skills.

No belief is required before or after this happening. History is alas filled
with blind faith and contradictory theories, but the evolution of awareness
has taken us to a point where, now, it is possible for those who so desire to
know a deeper spiritual truth through direct perception.
The conclusions we arrive at through our experience and meditation are our own.
No one can take them away from us just as it would be futile for anyone
to convince us that the sky is actually green. As Shri Mataji, the founder of
Sahaja Yoga emphasizes: we become our own masters.

All major religions of the world were started on the basis of the enlightening
teachings of higher masters. Over time, because self realization was not yet
available to everyone, their truth was buried under concepts and rituals by
the people "in charge". They became rich and powerful. The truth and real
essence of the religions faded and became a belief.
Sahaja Yoga can for the first time integrate and prove these timeless truths,
on our central nervous system, through self realization. It is all, in a sense,
scientific, practical and part of a higher plan which has unfolded throughout
history to reach its climax in these modern times. It is the next step in
the evolution of our awareness.

We may say all this is driven by a mysterious force that we could call
Divine love. This step of self improvement is within our collective reach
and this is not a business or a money making proposition. We need only have
the desire to receive it, and then use it for our benefit and the benefit of
the human race.

Does
Sahaja Yoga accept other religions?
The word RELIGION comes from a latin word ("religare") which means "to unite".
The essence of all major religions of the world is the same: truth. The purpose
is the same: to lead a better life, united with the power which created us.
The religions were all based on the teachings of Divine incarnations who came
on this earth, at different times and places, to guide humanity towards
its collective emancipation.

Through the process of Self Realization achieved in Sahaja Yoga, the truth of
these religions becomes apparent: it is not not revealed through compliance to
dogmas. It manifests through the liberation of our potential for a higher
state of well being. We thus come to truly grasp and accept the essence of
these great teachings, not on a mental basis, not by trying to reconcile the
differences and ritualism which was added to them over the ages by the people
in charge, but through our own experience.

Sahaja Yoga and marriages
Like most spiritual groups, and society in general, those who practice Sahaja Yoga
also believe in the sanctity of marriage. Marriage is a very important part of
life since it creates the basis for having strong and loving families that are
the foundation of our society. It is also a great source of joy and balance
when both husband and wife are practicing Sahaja Yoga. However, we don't want
to see our meditation centers turned into dating centers. Pure attention on
our spiritual ascent, as opposed to the attraction we might be feeling for
someone sitting next to us, is the best way to achieve a nice, blissful
meditation and further our evolution.

In present day Western society, the options for meeting a prospective spouse
are many: parties and clubs; dating services, blind dates set up by friends
or relatives; churches, the workplace, internet chat rooms, chance meetings
in public places, and so on. In many cases, we try to project a personality
(witty, intelligent, charming) and/or physical image (dieting and workouts)
that don't necessarily reflect who we really are, but what we think others
desire. Most of these ideal images are based on what we see and hear in the
mass media, i.e. movies, TV, music and advertising. As a result we are
often attracted (or repelled) for the wrong reasons.

While many do discover a meaningful relationship and find themselves in a
satisfying marriage, the ever-increasing divorce rate would indicate that
perhaps we are choosing spouses for all the wrong reasons.

In Eastern society, and even in old Western society, arranged marriages,
or at least formal introductions were, and still are the norm. While not
all of these marriages may evolve into highly romantic relationships,
they can still be highly satisfying marriages based on common values
and interests, and especially the joy of children as marriage transforms
into family.

Many of those that practice Sahaja Yoga on a daily basis are also
interested in having a spouse that does the same. Being able to help
each other achieve deeper meditations using Sahaja Yoga clearing and
cleansing techniques, as well as becoming a mirror for the other to
see themselves for behavioral change, in a calm, loving and compassionate
environment, are things highly sought after by those on a spiritual path.
Using conventional Western dating techniques doesn't really seem to
achieve the goal, and in the interest of keeping the local meditation
center a place of pure attention, many have asked our spiritual teacher
and founder of Sahaja Yoga, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, for assistance
in finding a compatible spouse.

Some of the international Sahaja Yoga seminars provide an opportunity
to be introduced to someone else practicing Sahaja Yoga for the purpose
of marriage. Shri Mataji matches the couple based on the background and
inclinations, but most importantly, she is able to determine compatibility
based on the vibrations (subtle aspects) of the couples. The low divorce
rate for these marriages shows the success of this method.

After being introduced, the couples are given up to a couple of weeks or
so to determine whether they would like to go through with the marriage.
There is no absolutely no pressure to go through with the marriage if
either person is not so inclined. In fact, the couples are discouraged
to go through with the marriage if there is any doubt whatsoever. If
things don't work out, then of course divorce is an option, but it is
something that rarely happens.

In closing, as author of this article, I would just like to say that
my marriage in Sahaja Yoga has been an incredibly beautiful experience,
and I never realized I could love someone so deeply and completely. This
is not to say there has never been conflict, but what has amazed me is
how quickly (measured in minutes, not days or weeks) the conflicts have
been worked out. Having a Sahaja Yogi for a spouse has allowed me to
witness certain behaviors in myself that need to be changed or
eliminated, which is just one of the many ways we are able to help each
other in our spiritual ascent.

While marriage in Sahaja Yoga is not for everybody, and not everybody
that practices Sahaja Yoga chooses to marry this way, most of us that
have, are extremely happy with the result!

Children and education in Sahaja Yoga
One of the most deeply held commitments amongst people practicing Sahaja Yoga
is that of the well-being of our children. There are tens of thousands of
remarkably happy and harmonious families practicing Sahaja Yoga around the
world, and tens of thousands of remarkably happy, well adjusted children
have been born into these families.

Parents in Sahaja Yoga are concerned, as all parents are, with helping
their children to grow to adulthood without falling prey to the traps of
peer pressure, drugs, violence and immorality along the way. We use the
techniques of Sahaja Yoga to help our children stay balanced, alert,
healthy and self-aware. As they grow up, we teach them how to meditate,
and to understand the subtle inner workings of their own energy systems,
to know when they are in a healthy, balanced state and when they are not.
We teach them how to treat imbalances within and to take responsibility
for their own states of mind and awareness.

We have found that as a result, children in Sahaja Yoga develop a beautiful
reverence for goodness, for practicality and for righteousness. They
maintain a bright, positive attitude toward life long after children of
similar ages begin to show signs of encroaching cynicism and disillusionment.

Seeing the horrors of violence and self-destructive habits, and the subtler
negativities of extreme materialism and competition amongst children in
our nations' schools, we in Sahaja Yoga have created several international
schools for our children, which we feel are healthier alternatives. There
is a school for younger children in rural Italy, and another in the mountains
of India for older children. These schools promote not only academic
excellence, but a continued support for the growth of our children's
self-awareness through Sahaja Yoga meditation.

The atmosphere in the Sahaja Yoga schools are both cheerful and serene.
Children learn in an environment which is close to nature and full of
natural beauty, and spend the day in learning traditional subjects,
languages and the arts, as well as having time to play and enjoy together.
The international population of the schools gives our children the
additional benefit of broader horizons, as they develop friendships
with children from many other countries.

Of the many thousands of children in Sahaja Yoga, only a few hundred
each year are able to attend these schools. Some families choose not
to send their children, others send them for some time, and then
choose to keep them in local schools for a time, according to what
they feel are the needs of the individual child.

We have found that the Sahaja Yoga schools instill in our children a
very deep and unshakable joy in their approach to life. The children
who are fortunate enough to attend these schools develop an inner
strength by which they are able to withstand the forces of peer pressure
when they return to schools in their native countries. As parents, we
feel this is possibly the greatest gift we can give them, as our wish
is to see them grow up strong, healthy , with a deep respect for all
that is divine within and around us, fully able to enjoy life and
express themselves.

Sahaja Yoga - a gentle path
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, stilling the mind and calming the body,
has never been the western way. For centuries, Meditation and Yoga
(Union) have been regarded by Europeans as an esoteric, Oriental
practice of little practical benefit.

But over the last two decades, the increasing speed and pressures of
modern living have been matched by an increasing need for ways co cope
with them. Medical science is now proving what a growing number of
people in the West have discovered for themselves: that the relaxation
of true meditation has measurable beneficial effects on all levels of
our being, with no damaging side effects.

In the Yoga of true meditation, one develops a conscious awareness of
the subtle energy that exists within us all, and a spontaneous
connection with the inner mechanism by which it is governed. This
integration cannot be forced through exercises, chanting or mantras. It
happens as a natural awakening, in just the same way that our body grows
and maintains itself, without any conscious effort on our part.

The last few years have seen the evolution of a process whereby this
inner integration can take place in ordinary people everywhere,
irrespective of age, occupation, race, color and creed. It is not a
theory or a concept that has to be worked at. Sahaja Yoga is a solid
experience, an actual, physical reality verifiable in ones own nervous
system, that leads on to spontaneous improvements in one's well-being
and relationship with the world. These include numerous incidents in
overcoming alcohol and drug addiction, diseases (such as cancer), heart
problems and other physical and mental disorders such as stress,
depression and tension.

The word Sahaja means 'in-born', because the purifying and healing
energy that is gently awakened lies waiting within every human being
from birth.

From that moment one is able to start bringing balance into one's life.
As well as the benefits mentioned above, the simple meditation and
techniques of Sahaja Yoga bring one onto the central path between such
damaging opposites as: Too much lethargy or too much frantic activity -
of too much emotion or lack of emotion - of living too much in the past,
or thinking too much of the future. So one becomes a calm, joyful
personality, confident and able to enjoy living in the now of the
present.back to top

What VIPs say about Sahaja Yoga

"Shri Mataji's discovery brings genuine hope to humanity."Claes Nobel

This section features letters and speeches given by

Ayatollah Medhi Rouhani - leader of the Muslim Shiite faith

Claes Nobel - grandnephew of Alfred Nobel (founder of the Nobel
Foundation) and Chairman of United Earth

To Her Excellency, Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, President of
the universal and spiritual movement of Sahaja Yoga.

It is with truly profound respect and heartfelt joy that I offer to you,
all my sincere felicitations for this
grand birthday of yours, this tremendous day of your birth which exactly
corresponds with the New Year
which our ancient nation of Iran is about to celebrate, according to
her ancestral traditions.

You have dedicated you entire life to the establishment of morality and
to the evolution of the consciousness of humanity through love and
compassion with the aim of self knowledge.
You have for this, founded a movement which all we Muslims believe to be
a teaching whose ultimate goal is the knowledge of God.
Has not the Prophet proclaimed:

"He who knows himself, knows God" ?

It is obvious that humanity will not find fulfillment until they have
established the balance between the material world and spirituality.
If once glance through the combined history and culture of our two
countries, Iran and India, we can easily
perceive that these two nations have offered humanity similar
civilizations and have continually raised the flag of peace and peaceful
co-existence throughout the world. We still need today to continue this
historic mission.

I am convinced that by constant effort and commitment, we can
transform this sacred and ancient dream into reality.
Thus we must permit all those who are trapped within the wheels and
machinery of western civilization, to lighten the loads on their lives;
to establish themselves in morality and to warm their hearts with the
joy of spiritual life.

In closing I would like to express to you my intense feeling of
gratitude and recognition, which I know are shared by all the Muslims of
Europe, and in particular the Shiite community, for all your effort and
sacrifice in the pursuit of peace.

It is my humble wish that gratitude and recognition which I hold for you,
be conveyed to the Government and the people of the India.

Address delivered by Ayatollah Dr. Mehdi Rouhani at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 3rd July 1997:

If we consider the most ancient evidence left by homo sapiens, we can see
that man has always been aware of the existence of a Supreme Being, who is
Lord of all things and of all living creatures.

Using every conceiveable means, human beings of every era have always tried
to show their feelings of deep respect (and reverence) towards God and to
perform what is due to their Creator.

This is why Islam has always stressed the possibility of direct
communication with God. Even those who have fallen into idolatry have never
denied the existence of the Creator, but have simply put their idols and
images in His place. And this is still happening today. This being the
case, how can we recognise a true prophet and what is his or her mission?

The mission of the prophets is to reveal the will of God, that is, to
provide a logical and tangible explanantion of religion as it is experienced
in our daily lives.

Genuine monotheism - the belief in a Supreme Being - means (or implies) the
unshakeable oneness of the whole creation between man and God. Monotheism
proves then, the pointlessness of idols and of images that come between man
and God. The mission of the prophets is thus to set human beings on the
right track, and in order to do this, the prophets have used two parrallel
and complementary paths:

the way of learning, based on theology and philosophy

and the way of Self-Knowledge or Self-Realisation

This is why we find in our Holy Book, the Koran, both scholastic discourse
and phrases which hint at the "way in" to knowledge of the Highest Self.
The concrete means of putting this message into practise is what is offered
to us in this age by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

To back up this Truth, if you will allow me. I will quote these words of the
Prophet Mahomet, who tells us: "God is closer to man than his own veins."
And the Prophet says: "With the knowledge of the Spirit, man will begin to
know himself, so as to finally achieve knowledge of God."
"With the purification of his inner being, man becomes conscious that he is
the Spirit."

It is thus the experience of spontaneous Self Realisation - which is
revealed by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi - and Sahaja Yoga - which is the
practise which she teaches - both spontaneous Self Realisation and Sahaja
Yoga are in perfect harmony with the teachings of Islam. It is because of
this revelation by Shri Mataji that I have wanted to speak to you tonight.

In similar vein, I should like to end my talk by referring to the condition
of women in Islamic countries today. As you know, the position of woman as
mother is glorified in
the Islamic tradition. The Prophet Mahomet went as far as to say: "We
experienced Paradise at our mother's feet."

As a wife, Islam not only acknowledges her complete right to choose her own
husband, but pays homage to her in the famous words of the Prophet, who
says: "The best amongst you is the one who behaves best towards his wife."
Or again: "Women are sent to us by God and men are responsible for keeping
them safe." Women are thus considerd to be equal to men in both their
responsibilities and in their legal and civic rights.

Today, unfortunately, we have seen that this great insight of the Koran is
not always understood and therefore not respected in the varous Muslim
countries.

You, Shri Mataji, by virute of your courage, and your sincerity and your
purity, by virtue of your untiring travels through the five continents, you
are today justly considered to be the Messenger of Peace in the world.

Your exemplary life makes you the perfect symbol and model for Muslim women.
May their quest for Justice, their desire to be able to enjoy a true
spiritual life in their own dignity, may their quest find an echo in the
spiritual approach of the real Islam. This will make it possible to put a
stop to all kinds of injustices which are still being committed against
women in the name of religion.

It is with this vision and with the aim of defending the rights of women in
Muslim countries throughout the world and in particular Afganistan, in Iran
and Turkey, that I address this brief talk to you Shri Mataji, and to all
the people assembled here tonight.

This is a summary of a speech by Mr. Claes Nobel, grandnephew of Alfred Nobel
(creator of the Nobel Foundation), preceding Shri Mataji Nirmala
Devi's programme on Self Realisation and Sahaja Yoga at the Royal Albert Hall
on Thursday 3rd July 1997.

Mr. Claes Nobel spoke of his vision of a world in which human beings would
live in harmony and peace, both with themselves and with Nature. However,
in order to know how to act rightly to achieve this end, we need a reference
point. It is Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi who enables us to distinguish what is
right by granting spontaneous Self Realisation, through which we can know
absolute truth and absolute peace.

He stressed the importance of the inspiring insights of women, particularly
in relation to achieving peace, such as those of Shri Mataji. Mr. Nobel
distinguished four aspects of peace in his notion of "Earth Ethics". First:
inner peace within the individual. Second: the peace among men and nations,
religions and races. Third: the peaceful relation with Nature and the Earth
in which we listen and respect. And fourth: the peace between man and God,
which precludes all violence and war. Shri Mataji enables us to perceive the
underlying and eternal spiritual laws which govern the cosmos and life on Earth.

Shri Mataji's followers, whom he had met all over the world, were all
radiant with inner peace and balance and should be called "Ambassadors for
the Earth." Shri Mataji's gift of Self Realisation gives discrimination to
know the truth and to avoid the extremes of blind faith and fanaticism.
There had been enough talking about a sustainable future for the Earth.
What was needed now was action. An Indian fable pointed the way forward:
the greatest fulfilment and satisfaction is attained not by thinking of
self, but through a true insight into our collective identity.back to top

It is a great honour to me to write about SHRI MATAJI NIRMALA DEVI and
Her work of giving Self-Realisation through the system of Sahaja Yoga of
thousands. By this happening thousands and thousands of people have
become very peaceful within. Many students who were not at all good at
studies have been able to pass their exams with first class marks,
because their awareness improved tremendously. One of the person blessed
by Shri Mataji was Miss Shushmita Sen, who won the title of Miss
Universe last year. It was not her physical beauty but her inner poise,
serenity and dignity which were accentuated in her selection. Many world
famous musicians like Ustad Amjad Ali khan, Nishat Khan, Ustad Shafaat
Khan, Anup Jalota, Ptd. Debu Chaudhari, Ajit kadkade and many others say
that they have achieved their proficiency by Her blessings. Many
painters and architects have also been guided by Her.

There are many people who been cured by Shri Mataji of their incurable
diseases through the science and practice of Sahaja Yoga. Sahaja Yoga
works on the parasympathetic nervous systems and deals with subtle
energy centers, which are the roots of our physical, emotional, mental
and spiritual being. Four doctors of Delhi University have obtained
their medical doctorates by working on Sahaja yoga subjects. Their are
seven doctors in the UK who have done research in the same field. In
Russia there are many doctors who are practising Sahaja Yoga. Medical
conferences on Sahaja Yoga have been conducted in many countries
including France and UK under the guidance of Professor U.C. Rai, former
Head of the Department of Physiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New
Delhi. He has published a book about his findings. This book was
released by our President, His Excellency, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma.
Shri Mataji has recently been awarded a Ph D. Doctorate in Cognitive
Sciences by the University of Ecology, Bucharest, Romania. She has been
admitted as an honorary member to the Academy of Sciences in St.
Petersburg. She has received many other awards from different countries
of the world, specially for Her work in spreading peace amongst
countries.

Shri Mataji's fantastic work has been acclaimed universally, because She
has established Her programmes for spiritual self-realisation promoting
peace among human beings of different races, cultures and countries. In
fact I have no words to describe adequately the unparalleled and unique
global transformation. She has brought about in so many men, women and
children around the world. They are totally moral and chaste; they have
developed inner balance and peace; they have formed beautiful families
and children; they regard each human being with great consideration and
respect. This is the visible effect of the Divine powers of Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi, who is full of compassion and love for all human beings.
Her knowledge of subtle system is perfect and verified scientifically.
She is the fount of all knowledge about Self and a great master of
spirituality. I have witnessed this most exceptional development with
great admiration and respect. Shri Mataji's Sahaja Yoga is the only
effective way to achieve global peace within every individual.

I wish, from my heart, to this movement a successful propagation all over
the world.